Homeowners are being offered advice on coping with flooding after heavy rainfall caused damage, road closures and power cuts in London this weekend.
The South East of England was struck by torrential rain, with the capital being hit hardest and suffering from flooding of roads and tube stations.
Now, finance experts are offering advice to homeowners who need to make a claim on their home insurance because of damage caused by the weekend’s downpour.
Salman Haqqi, personal finance expert at money.co.uk, explained there are several steps you must make straight away to ensure your claim is successful.
He said: “If your home has been hit by flood damage you should speak to your insurer as soon as possible. They may need you to take emergency steps to minimise the impact of the water, until they can process your claim and sort proper repairs.”
Gather evidence
He also advised homeowners to take photos and videos of the damage and note down the time it happened so the insurer can tally this up with weather reports.
“When you make your claim, submit ‘before’ photos and videos, if you have them, proving the state of your property before the flood hit,” he added.
Check your policy
It’s also advisable to check the details of your policy to ensure you have the correct cover for flooding because it’s the buildings insurance part of your policy which will pay out if there’s structural damage as opposed to the contents.
Salman said: “If you’re a homeowner who has contents-only cover, the damaged items in the home should be covered but any damage to the property itself may not be included.”
Outside space
He added: “Most home insurance policies offer little in the way of cover for property outside your home, such as the garden or driveway, although it’s always worth checking your documents and speaking to your provider.”
